Conveying and storage device for thermosensitive products

ABSTRACT

A conveying and storage device for thermosensitive products is disclosed wherein one or several Peltier elements are provided for temperature control of the storage chamber, tubular heat-conducting members or a one-piece heat-conductive molding being provided on the plate of the Peltier element or elements on the side of the storage chamber, and wherein the plate of the Peltier element or elements on the housing side is constituted by finned heat-exchange members. For the purpose of a maximally homogeneous heat removal and supply within the storage chamber, the tubular heat-conducting members, (3), forming in direct mutual contiguousness the inside of the storage chamber (2), are hollow molding of a readily heat-conducting material, or the one-piece heat-conductive molding (17) forming the inside of the storage chamber (2) is of a readily heat-conducting material.

The invention relates to a conveying and storage device forthermosensitive products wherein one or several Peltier elements areprovided for controlling the temperature of the storage chamber, tubularheat-conducting members or a one-piece heat-conductive molding beingarranged on the plate of the Peltier element or elements on the side ofthe storage chamber, and wherein the plate of the Peltier element orelements on the housing side is constituted by finned heat-exchangemembers.

In particular, a conveying and storage container for pharmaceuticals orthe like is involved wherein such containers are to operate withoutmoving parts at surrounding temperatures of +40° C. to 20° C.

In order to provide temperature control for the storage chamber, one orseveral Peltier elements are used in the type of device according tothis invention; in case several such elements are employed they areconnected in series in a cascade arrangement. The effect of such Peltierelements, as is known, is such that when a dc voltage is applied to aPeltier element, heat is withdrawn from one side of the element andtransported to the other side of the Peltier element. When the directionof current flow is changed, the direction of heat transport changes aswell, so that the storage chamber can either be cooled or heated bymeans of one and the same Peltier element.

In this connection, it has been known to utilize such Peltier elementsfor the cooling of iceboxes intended for camping and automobile trips.It is furthermore known to provide tubular heat-conductive moldings onthe plate of the Peltier elements located on the side of the storagechamber.

The invention is based on the object of obtaining a maximallyhomogeneous temperature abduction within the storage chamber; in thisconnection, almost no temperature gradient is to exist within thestorage chamber in order to achieve identical temperature conditionswith respect to the entire content of the storage chamber.

According to this invention, this object has been attained by providingthat the tubular heat-conducting members 3 forming in direct mutualcontact the inside of the storage chamber are prismatic, hollow moldedarticles exhibiting in particular a quadrangular cross section and madeof a readily heat-conducting material, or by providing that a one-pieceheat-conductive molding 17 of a readily thermally conductive material,or that a one-piece molding with an integrated heat-distributing zone 19of a readily heat-conductive material constitutes the inside of thestorage chamber 2. Thereby, on the one hand, an especially good heatabduction is obtained between the Peltier element 1 and the storagechamber, the inside of the storage chamber being located at such adistance from the Peltier element that it cannot lead to damage to thestored items on account of local subcooling or, in case of heating, tolocal hot spots.

Advantageously, the walls 7 of the storage chamber 2, likewise made ofreadily heat-conductive material, can be attached by means of screws,blind rivets or the like, or by means of heat-conductive adhesive to theoutermost tubular heat-conducting members 3 or to the external lateralfaces of the one-piece heat-conductive molding 17 or to the outerlateral faces of the one-piece molding with integrated heat-distributingzone 19. This design of the storage chamber effects fast heat abductionor, in case of heating operation, a quick supply of heat, a good heattransfer to the walls 7 of the storage chamber 2 being achieved via theoutermost tubular heat-conducting members 3 or via the outer lateralsurfaces of the one-piece heat-conductive molding 17 or via the outerlateral faces of the one-piece molding with integrated heat-distributingzone 19, whereby the entire walls of the storage chamber are availablefor heat transfer.

In this arrangement, the tubular heat-conducting members or theone-piece heat-conductive molding can be tightly mounted to the plate ofthe Peltier element 1 on the storage chamber side by means of clamprails 5. A heat-distributing panel 18 can be interposed between thetubular heat-conducting members 3 or the one-piece heat-conductivemolding 17 whereby an especially uniform heat distribution is obtainedover the walls 7 of the storage compartment 2. This heat-distributingpanel can be an integral part of the one-piece thermal molding 17whereby such a one-piece molded article with integratedheat-distributing zone 19 takes over on its own the heat distributionand conduction between the Peltier element 1 and the walls 7 of thestorage chamber 2.

In order to prevent the abduction of the heat emanating from anelectronic control circuit 12 from having an adverse effect on theaction of the Peltier element or elements, the finned heat-exchangemember 9 of the Peltier element can be located separately from thefinned cooling member 13 for cooling an electronic control circuit;between the finned heat exchanger and the finned cooling member,heat-insulating zones of the housing are arranged.

The drawing shows one embodiment of the subject of the presentinvention.

FIG. 1 shows a lateral view of the present invention with the externalhousing sidewall having been removed.

FIG. 2 is a top view on the arrangement with the top wall of the housingremoved.

FIG. 3 shows a detailed view of the wall of the storage chamber formedfrom tubular heat-conducting members, on the side of the Peltierelement.

FIG. 4 is a cross section through the storage chamber with tubularheat-conducting members.

FIG. 5 shows a detailed view of the wall of the storage chamber formedfrom a one-piece heat-conductive molding, on the side of the Peltierelement.

FIG. 6 shows a cross-sectional view of a storage chamber with one-pieceheat-conductive molding.

FIG. 7 shows the cross section through a one-piece molding withintegrated heat-distributing zone.

Numeral 1 denotes a Peltier element, a heat-distributing panel 18 beingarranged on one side thereof facing a storage chamber 2. Tubularheat-conducting members 3 are disposed at this heat-distributing panel,constituted in the present case by shaped aluminum tubes having a squarecross section. The walls of the heat-conducting members 3 facing thestorage chamber 2 simultaneously form the inner wall of the storagechamber 2. The heat-conducting members 3 can be connected by means ofscrews, blind rivets, or the like, as indicated at 4 in FIG. 4. Theheat-conducting members 3 are tightened against the Peltier element 1 bymeans of clamp rails 5, namely with the aid of screws 6.

The walls 7 of the storage chamber 2 are attached to the outermostheat-conducting members 3, namely likewise by means of screws, blindrivets, or the like, denoted by 8. The walls of the storage chamber arelikewise made of a readily heat-conducting material.

The part of the Peltier element 1 facing away from the storage chamberis connected with a finned heat-exchange member 9, by way of which theheat removed from the storage chamber 2 is carried away by the Peltierelement. If the Peltier element is utilized for heating then the heatrequired for the heating operation is absorbed from the ambient air byway of the finned heat-exchange member 9.

The storage chamber 2 is located in a housing 10 and is surrounded by aheat insulation 11. In this housing 10 an electronic control circuit 12is furthermore disposed, this circuit being located in the closeproximity to a finned cooling member 13 to carry away the heat producedat that location. The finned cooling member 13 of the electronic controlcircuit is arranged spatially separately from the finned heat-exchangemember 9 of the Peltier element, a thermally insulating zone of thehousing being disposed between the two members.

The housing 10 furthermore contains a buffer accumulator 14, atransformer 15, a mains switch 16, and an operating panel 20 withturn-on and turn-off switch to activate or deactivate the temperaturecontrol of the storage chamber. The built-in buffer accumulator 14 isdesigned in the present instance as a gastight accumulator permittingservice-free operation independent of location. Regulation of thetemperature within the storage chamber 2 is performed by way of aconventional temperature sensor arranged in close proximity to thetubular heat-conducting members 3, close to the one-pieceheat-conductive molding 17, or close to the one-piece molding withintegrated heat-distributing zone 19, this sensor being connected to theelectronic control circuit 12.

The conveying and storage device according to this invention is verysimple in its operation since it exhibits merely turn-on switches foractivating the temperature control of the storage chamber and,respectively, turn-off switches for inactivation, as well as a mainsswitch. The remaining control and, with external energy supply, thecharging of the built-in buffer accumulator take place automatically.

I claim:
 1. Conveying and storage device for thermosensitive products,comprising a storage chamber, at least one Peltier element disposedadjacent one wall of said storage chamber for controlling thetemperature within said storage chamber, and a plurality of hollowtubular heat-conducting members disposed adjacent said at least onePeltier element and defining said one wall of said storage chamber,wherein said plurality of hollow tubular heat-conducting members areprismatic in cross section and arranged in side-by-side relation betweensaid storage chamber and said at least one Peltier element, thereby todefine a substantially uniplanar heat-conducting surface facing intosaid storage chamber for maintaining a substantially uniform temperaturewithin said storage chamber.
 2. The conveying and storage deviceaccording to claim 1, wherein said plurality of hollow tubularheat-conductive members are integral with one another, and define amonolithic element having hollow heat-conducting passages formed thereinand a plate-like surface defining said one wall of said storage chamber.3. The conveying and storage device according to claim 1, furthercomprising at least one finned heat-exchange member disposed on a sideof said at least one Peltier element opposite said storage chamber. 4.The conveying and storage device according to claim 1, wherein saidstorage chamber comprises five additional walls of a highlyhead-conductive material.
 5. The conveying and storage device accordingto claim 1, further comprising clamping rails securing said plurality ofhollow tubular head-conducting members to said at least one Peltierelement.
 6. The conveying and storage device according to claim 1,further comprising a heat-distributing panel disposed between saidplurality of hollow tubular head-conducting members and said at leastone Peltier element.
 7. The conveying and storage device according toclaim 6, wherein said heat-distributing panel and said plurality ofhollow tubular heat-conductive members are formed integrally as amonolithic member having a plate-like surface defining said one wall ofsaid storage chamber.